COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A viewer reached out to News 5 after noticing that a bridge on Colorado Avenue near I-25 goes dark at night.
Despite months of contacting the city and Colorado Springs Utilities, the lights still remain out.
“I started walking across the bridge and noticed there were people on bikes, but no lights,” said local resident Matt Kroschel.
He says he first noticed the issue last summer. Kroschel reported the problem through the Colorado Springs app, but his efforts to get answers were met with confusion.
“The city told me those aren’t our lights, so they sent me over to the utility company,” said Kroschel.
He then reached out to Colorado Springs Utilities, but they responded the same way. Later, he says the city called back.
"They said, 'Okay, we're trying to sort it all out,'" said Kroschel.
However, months later, the bridge remains dark. News5 sat down with City Traffic Engineer Todd Frisbie to discuss the delay.
“This was unusual,” said Frisbie. “There were questions about ownership and back-and-forth trying to figure out who’s responsible.”
The problem, he said, is stolen wiring.
“The wiring for the lights was stolen several months ago,” said Frisbie.
The city says it has an agreement with Colorado Springs Utilities to maintain and repair streetlights.
"The city pays them to maintain and operate, and fix damage, and install new lights," said Frisbie.
The city and Colorado Springs Utilities are now working together to restore the lighting.
“We took the lead, ordered material, and hired a contractor,” said Frisbie. “We have a meeting next week with CSU to discuss how to best reinstall the wiring.”
For Kroschel, it’s about safety.
“I just want to take a nice walk, ride my bike, grab a scooter, and head downtown, and not worry about someone not seeing me... because it’s so dark,” he said.
The city says it doesn't have a timeline for when the lights will be fully restored.
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